Mouse House Tales

PreS-Gr 2—Two stories for beginning readers about Mouse and her new home. First, Mouse wants a house, and she wants to build it beneath a certain tree. Mole offers to dig the hole, Beaver chews her a nice wood floor, and Goat brings some cheese. Her friends make her everything from curtains to furniture, and, once again, Goat brings some cheese. When they are finished and the house is looking just right, Goat brings, well, you know. Time to eat! In "Mystery Mouse," Mouse is happy in her new home until she begins to hear strange noises in the night, so her friends present their own special brand of traps to snare the intruder. Spider spins a web, and Bunny scatters peas on the floor, but Goat is skeptical. "It won't work," he says. Later that night, Goat is proven right and proposes his own solution. A menagerie of animals with distinct personalities and snappy wardrobes brings these simple tales of friendship and fun to life. Shepherd's pen, watercolor, and mixed-media art provides exceptional appeal. Attention to detail and the exaggerated features of the characters enhance the merriment. Lots of fun for reading aloud, shared reading, or beginning readers alike. A first purchase.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH